Thatayaone Ditlhokwe: Kaizer Chiefs is just a normal challenge

With his SuperSport United deal set to run out at the end of June, 'TT' signed a pre-contract with Chiefs in January and will switch to the Soweto outfit on a free transfer on 1 July.

Asked whether the task awaiting Amakhosi, who just completed an eighth straight season without silverware, is daunting, the 24-year-old was quick to highlight his capacity to handle what lies ahead.

"One thing I can tell you is that I'm the captain of the national team, I'm a player for the national team. I've captained my national team at the age of 21 so I don't think there's any pressure which can come more than what I've already passed through," he said.

"It's just a normal challenge that every player can face. That's why I said for you to grow you must have challenges, there's no player that can grow without having challenges."

Though reluctant to give much away about his future at Chiefs just yet, Ditlhokwe shared his ambitions now that he is taking a step upward in his blossoming career.

"I need to win trophies. I need to play in continental competitions like the Champions League and CAF, so that's what I'm looking forward to as a player. That's what I'm trying every time and at every training session so that I can grow as a player and win those things because you don't just win them for the sake of winning," he explained.

As a young centre-back, the Botswana international has a chance to emulate Chiefs legends such as Lucas Radebe or Neil Tovey, but he insists his inspiration comes from the likes of Sergio Ramos of Spain and Virgil van Dyk of the Netherlands.

"I think I grew up watching the English Premier League and La Liga most of the time. So, I was watching Ramos, I was watching Virgil van Dyk, so those are people that I grew up looking up to."